The hard road behind

by maximusaurus

I’m often told I should “forget the past, look ahead to the future”. Righto mate; while we’re at it let’s make a bonfire out of books and film prints, (Old nitrate film burns hotter than petrol and is almost impossible to put out cos it generates its own oxygen. Just don’t breathe the fumes or you too will be history) and knock down those pesky museums to make car parks.

Another phrase that gets passed around like some kind of mutant crossbreed of gossip and herpes is the “hard road ahead”. But what about the hard road behind?

I’m not just talking about learning from mistakes either; our achievements in the past speak to our ability to handle what lies ahead. When I find myself faced with a looming struggle, I look back at all the obstacles I’ve already conquered, which usually dwarf my current predicament.

I once thought I’d never be able to move out of home because of my OCD and autism; I have. I once thought I’d never make it to University; I did. At one point I couldn’t leave my house; I just spent three days helping run a camp out in the bush for young adults with autism. In light of this, the half an hour trip to work suddenly seems about an intimidating as a rampaging wild asparagus.

The harshest fire forges the toughest metal; it’s the challenges we have faced and survived that have molded us into the powerful, capable people we are today. I don’t want to bury my past, because it’s an encyclopedia of proof that I can handle whatever is thrown at me.